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Don’t submit an UC MR on closed claim because it will slow down the new UC claim said the man to my colleague when she….........
Don’t submit an UC Mandatory Reconsideration against the closed claim because it will slow down the new UC (non-digital / telephone) claim.
Said the man to my colleague when she attended the jobcentre with a vulnerable homeless client with multiple health issues (cannot read either). Post restante address jobcentre. She picked up the case when he walked in to our office today.
Previous UC claim it would appear didn’t survive more than a 8 days at most (see below), as he was deemed not to have agreed the claimant commitment on his journal. Why he was persuaded by the DWP to claim UC online when he cannot read, retain his username etc or even log on full stop?
His old style ESA claim decision closing claim for FTA was 8 days ago (had LCW).
when she… descended into apoplexy?
when she… took up her pitchfork and cried Revolution?
Reasonable adjustments under Equality Act 2010? Start with complaints process.
We’ve decided to go with Dan’s advice. But thanks Equalitygal really appreciated!
We complete telephone claim with client, outstanding issue booking ID interview…..........then obviously an Advance Payment. Our client is homeless, has mental health issues and two types of cancer (not terminal).
Anyway, we advise helpful bloke re: ID that our client has a bank card, a DWP letter with his address on it i.e. the Jobcentre, so we advise the jobcentre can do a biometric questioning exercise.
Anyway, he can’t get through to Jobcentre (closes for lunch). But helpful bloke says he’ll ring them after 2pm and then ring client which he does. Thanks helpful JCP bloke from NI!
Trying to think ahead is an absolute pre-requisite for front line first tier agencies like us.
Hence plan B’s and C’s hence we regularly give client’s DWP guidance from Rightsnet resources (and more to take to interviews etc e.g. on occasions photocopying CPAG and Sweet and Maxwell pages with use commentary for DWP stuff).
So all the jobcentre has to do is verify our client’s ID i.e. their post restante customer. He can then get an advance payment.
Can it really be that difficult with an automated bespoke tailored service?
We ring him and….................................nothing absolutely nothing regarding confirming/verifying his ID! So our client has to go the weekend without a UC advance payment and .............so it goes on!
This is really basic stuff, its a new claim we are told UC is simple?
Scaremongering?
No, just another everyday example of UC changing people’s lifes.
We had a couple of other examples worthy of mention today too e.g. yet another closed claim example i.e. official error (yes we helped that client submit an MR).
On a relieved note….................etc etc and raising awareness of one First Tier advice agency’s ongoing experience of UC.
ID sorted and advance payment yesterday and closed UC claim linked with new UC claim (there are no linking rules in UC as far as i can tell, so we are guessing either new phone claim backdated or old digital claim reinstated?) , and in recognition of client’s vulnerability have taken the proactive step of maintaining with client every Monday and Friday informally his UC claim (hooray helpful JC bloke!), and client given an IR ESA3 (and we haven’t a clue why?), and…...........
We have given client the following to share with jobcentre cos its seems to help with stuff…........e.g. client would like to be paid fortnightly for what would appear to be very prudent reasons.
http://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2019-0465/PBS_and_APA_v20.0.pdf
http://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2017-0556/93_PBS_and_APA-Annex_A.pdf